National Republican., 1887-07-25
.OUR MINERAL RESOURCES.
A Condensation OF the Report OF the
United States Geological Survey.


United States Geological Survey.
The following condensed statement Of
the production OF the more important min
erals Of the United states In the calendar
year 1896 is issued by the United States
geological survey in advance OF q report;
"Mineral Resources OF the United States,
1885," prepared by David T. Day, chief Of
the division Of mining statistics and tech
nology.
Notably increased production and also au
increase in value have been the general
characteristics Of the mineral industries
during 1880. The total value OF tho min.
eral products increased in round numbers
from Si2S, 900 600 in 1855 to $i65, ,000, 900 I'm
1885. The important factor in this gain OF
$37, 100000 was the increased production OF
pig iron from 4,04I, ,525 long tons In 1856 to
5,6S3, ,329 long tons In 1886, and apprecia-
tion Of IS cents In the average value per
ton, making total gain Of $50. .4S3,3G0 in
this industry alone.
The condition OF the individual indus
tries is summarized as follows:
The principal Iron statistics for 1885 were
Domestic iron orc consumed, lO,000,000
long tons; value at mines, S2S, 100000. In.
ported iron ore consumed, 1,039, 433 long
tons; total iron consumed, II ,039, ,433 long
tons. Pig iron made, $685. 329 long tons,
an increase OF 1,63S, ,S03 tons as compared
with 1885; value at furnace, $S5, l95, $50, or
$50, ,4S3, $50 more than In 1885. Total spot
value Of all iron aud steel In the first stage
OF manufacture, excluding all Implications,
Sl42, 800, 900, an increase OF $49, 800, 900 as
compared with 1885.
The total value Of gold produced In 1885
was $35, 10000, an Increase OF 49, 10000
over 1888.
The production of silver decreased from
$l, GOO, 900 In 1885 to $5l, ,000, 900 In 1Ssf.
The production OF cotton in 1856, in
cluding 4,50O, 900 pounds from imported
pyrites, amounted to 160,67S,0Sl pounds.
valued at SIG, ,469, ,503. decrease OF 10,2S4,-
526 pounds and $l,S23, ,496 In value from
1852. The average price Of copper In 1886
declined to lot cents per pound. The cop
per sulphate, made chiefly from ores and
matte, amounted to $l3,400.000 pounds,
valued at $536, 900 at cents per pound.
The total production Of lead increased to
1876, ,G29 tons In 1886, valued at $12, ,6d7, 749,
| at an average value Of $93. per short ton in
| New York. In 1885 the production was
| 100, ,412 tons, valued at $40, 1904 The
production Of white lead in 1856 is esti
mated at GO 600 short tons, worth, at Ct
cents per pound, 81, 100000. The total
value OF the oxides of lead was about
| $1,535, 900.
EThe zinc production was 42,6i1 short
tons, valued at $SS per short ton, an in-
| crease Of 1858 short tons and $2l2, ,552 In
| value over 1856. There are preparations
| for further increase during 1887. Zinc
| oxide (ziDc white) was also made directly
from ores to the amount Of $4,000 short
tons, valued at 81 100000.
| In 1856 the production OF quicksilver In
California was 29,9Sl TASKS, or Q 29l, ,5i7
pounds, valued at $l,O60,0OO. This is
| decrease Of 9, 092 TASKS, but the total value
shows an increase OF SS0,Sll due to an In
crease In price.
| The total production of all kinds OF coal
in 1856, exclusive OF that consumed at the
mines, known as colliery consumption,
was 10I 6S2, 200 short tons, valued at $l47,.
112,755 at the mines. This may be divided
into Pennsylvania anthracite, 36,Gj6,4 ,475
short tons, or 32, 7Gi, flo long tons, valued
at S7l, l,55S ,126; all other GOALS including
bituminous, brown coal, ligaite, and small
lots OF anthracite produced in Arkansas
and Colorado, 70,0S5, IA short IONS, valued
at $75, ,554. $3.50. The collicry consumption
at the indiyidual mines varies from nothing
to per cent. OF the total product, being
greatest at special Pennsylvania anthracite
mines and lowest at those bitum.nous
mines where the bed is nearly horizontal
and where no steam power or ventllating
furnaces are employed. The averages OF
the different states vary from 3 to 6 per
| CcDb, tue luJtcT UelUR tUc uVeTuRc III Uno
Pennsylvania anthracite region.
The total production, including colliery
consumption, was Pennsylvania anthracite,
| 1883 OFT long or 80, ,035, ,446 short tons; all
other GOALS, 73;707,057 short tons, making
the total absolute production Of all Goals 10
the United States 1l2, 743, 403 short tons,
valued as follows: Anthracite, $40, 119, 100;
bituminous. SIS, ,4sl ,056: total value, 1854.
600, l06. The total production Of Pennsyl-
yania anthracite, Including colliery con
sumption, was 699, ,473 short tons in excess
OF that produced In 1885, but its value was
S552, sos less. The total production OF
bituminous coal was lose, 40S short tons
greater than in 1885, while its value was
1885,, ,592 less. The total production OF all
kind OF coal shows net gain of l,7S5,Ssl
short tons compared with 1885, but q loss
In spot value OF $4,419,420.
Tie total production Of coke in 1886 was
$685., ,06s short tons, valued at the ovens at
$ll,552,7Sl. This is the largest production
ever reached 10 the United States, the
nearest approach to 1t being in 1888, when
5,iG4. TIL tons were made. This declined
In 1884 to 4,S73,S05 tons. The year 1856
showed a gain upon 1884, the total being
5,lO6,696 tons. The production for 1885,
shows gain on that OF 1885 Of |, rs ,372, ol
nearly "a per cent. The total increase IL
value was $3,023,663. The production Of
1886 is 1870, ,a47 tons, or 25 Der cent greater
than the maximum Of previous years.
The total production Of petroleum was
2S,l10115 barrels Of forty-two gallons
each, Of which the PENNSYLVANIA and New
York fields produced 25,79S,00 barrels.
The total value at an average Of III cents
the average value OF the Pennsylvania and
New York petroleum, was $50, ,02S ,457. The
production showed an increase Of 6,26S,
014 barrels over the production OF 1885,
No record is kept of the yield Of natural
gas In cubic feet. 1t is estimated that the
amount OF coal displaced by gas in 1886
was 6,353,000 tons, valued at S9,Si7, ,150
In 1885 the amount OF coal displaced by
gas was 8, l0l, 900 tons, valued at s., 1854, 200